Freezing device



June 18, 1963 J, F EI 3,093,980

FREEZING DEVICE Filed Nov. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

INVENTOR. Arthur J. [-791 Z4 4 71,. 3 Ms Affo may A. J. FREI FREEZING DEVICE June 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 2'7, 1961 INVENIOR. Arthur J. Prev is Al/omey Fig. 6

thereof. in manually actuated ice block freezing devices which will reduce or substantially eliminate the objection heretofore United States Patent 3,093,980 FREEZING DEVICE Arthur J. Frei, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 154,953 6 Claims. (Cl. 62-367) This invention relates to tray and grid type freezing devices employed in household refrigerator cabinets to produce ice blocks for table use in chilling salads and/or drinks in glasses.

In the art to which my invention pertains others have heretofore provided means for readily loosening ice blocks from walls of a grid once the ice is broken free of a tray containing same and the grid. Very little development has been carried out for easing the necessary and most difficult ice bond breaking task of first loosening ice blocks from a tray to enable movement of walls of a grid bonded to ice blocks in the tray. Thus the initial act of freeing ice blocks from a tray upon harvesting the blocks therefrom remains a troublesome operation. For example, users of refrigerators equipped with tray and grid type ice block freezing devices are generally satisfied with such devices but are nevertheless unanimous in expressing objection to the amount of manual force initially required to be applied to a hand operated lever on a grid of a freezing device to cause relative movement between walls of the grid within a tray to loosen a mass of ice blocks frozen therein from the tray walls. This objection has been evident over many years due to the fact that ice trays of tray and grid type freezing devices have been provided with continuously flat bottoms to insure a large surface area contact thereof with a refrigerated support in a refrigerator upon which the trays are placed to fast freeze water contained therein by conduction of heat therefrom to the freezing support. However such prerequisite of trays of freezing devices is no longer existent in present-day so-called frost proof or frost free household refrigerators since water in trays of devices contained in these refrigerators is frozen solely by convection or forced air circulation therein, which air is circulated over a refrigerant evaporator and chilled to a very low temperature prior to its flow over and into contact with water in a tray of a freezing device or into contact with walls By virtue of this phenomenon, improvements mentioned are inspired.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved, unique and practical ice block freezing device which facilitates harvesting of ice blocks therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination tray and grid type freezing device with means for minimizing manual force required to be applied to an actuatable member thereof to initiate movement of walls of the grid in carrying out an operation of harvesting ice blocks from the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel tray structure adapted to have a grid disposed therein to form an ice block freezing device wherein the tray structure thereof includes means for easing and facilitating movement of walls of the grid to loosen ice blocks frozen in compartments of the device from the grid and tray.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a freezing device combination a tray having curvilinear or continuously rounded depressions in its bottom, the curvature of which serves conjointly with the shape of ice blocks frozen in compartments thereof formed by a grid disposed in the tray to facilitate and minimize manual force required to be initially applied to walls of the grid for eflzecting a relative tilting movement between the grid walls in the act of harvesting ice blocks from the device.

In carrying out the foregoing object it is a more specific object of my invention to provide continuously rounded depressions in the bottom of a tray of a tray and grid type freezing device with a fixed curve formed by different radii extending longitudinally of the tray with the greater radius of the curve directed in a direction opposite the direction of tilting walls of the grid whereby the differential curvilinear contour of the depressions serve conjointly with the shape of ice blocks frozen in compartments of the device to minimize force required to initiate tilting of the tiltable grid walls in the tray.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention Will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a broken top view of an ice tray employed in the present freezing device and having my invention embodied therein;

FIGURE 2 is a broken longitudinal sectional view through the tray with a grid disposed therein and showing ice blocks frozen in the device;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of the freezing device taken on the line '3-'3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the ice tray taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1 showing different radii of a fixed curved surface of depressions in the bottom thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing walls of the grid tilted and ice blocks in the freezing device loosened from the grid and tray;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of the tray of the freezing device; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale of a portion of a curved wall in the tray bottom showing a water repellent coating over macroscopic depressions therein.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating the present invention, there is shown in FIGURE 11 thereof an elongated pan or tray generally represented by the reference numeral 10. Tray 10 may be fabricated from any suitable or desirable material and is preferably pressed or stamped from sheet aluminum alloy. The elongated tray has upwardly extending outwardly diverging sides and opposed ends 11 and 12 all terminating in a top bounding rim 14 and has its bottom embossed to provide spaced-apart depressions 16 therein. Depressions 16 form raised intersecting ridges 17 which terminates below the top of tray 10. Ridges 17 are substantially square and impart a checkerboard-like appearance to the bottom of tray 10 (see FIGURES 1 and 6), While the depressions 16 intermediate the ridges are curvilinear in form or continuously rounded. The rounded depressions 16, intermediate ridges 17, are preferably a fixed curve in one direction thereacross or in a direction longitudinally of tray 10 formed by different radii each of increasing length at least from the center of the depressions toward a side thereof. It is to be noted, by reference to FIGURE 4 of the drawings, that the half of the endmost depressions 16 at end 11 of tray 10 is formed by a predetermined large radius A, from a vertical center line indicated at B therethrough, which extends toward this end of the tray, and the other half of these endmost depressions are formed by a lesser radius C of decreased length with respect to radius A. It is important to note that this direction of the differential radii applies only to the depressions 1-6 at the one end 11 of tray 10 and that same in the adjacent depression and all others thereof toward the opposite end 12 of tray 10 is reversed. For example, or in other words the larger radius A in the endmost depressions 16 faces or is directed toward end 11 of tray 10 while this increased or larger radius of the depressions from a point adjacent end 11 toward end 12 of the tray faces or is directed in the opposite direction. In consideration of the reversal of the differential radii in depressions 16 rim 14 at end 11 of tray 10 would be marked in a fashion to indicate that a grid structure to be disposed in the tray should be placed therein with the lever end of the grid located at this tray end. Tray 10 may also be provided with a water fill mark so that the user of the freezing device will not flow water thereinto above the pivotal anchorage of a lever mounted on the grid. Thus the fixed curvature of inner surface of depressions 16 is formed by difierent radii at least from the center of the depressions toward a side thereof in a direction lengthwise of the elongated tray 10. The curvilinear shape of the depressions 16 transverse across tray 10 are rounded about a single radius (see FIGURE 3), preferably the same as the smaller radius C, to simplify and facilitate the construction of a die for stamping or pressing the tray from sheet metal. While I show the inner surface of depressions 16 formed by two radii, it may, if desired, be formed by three or more differential radii as disclosed and more fully described in the copending application of Walter G. Knifiin Serial No. 136,- 459 filed September 7, 1961, and assigned to the assignee of this application. As before stated, tray 10 may be fabricated from any suitable material and if it is stamped from an aluminum alloy sheet, the sheet is preferably prepatterned with a multitude of spaced-apart macroscopic depressions substantially as disclosed in the Robert E. Davis, Patent No. 3,033,008 dated May 8, 1962, also assigned to the assignee of this application. The aluminum walls of tray 10 are, after fabrication of the tray, anodized and then coated with a layer of wax (see FIG- URE 7) as is now well known and conventional in the art.

In FIGURE 2 of the drawings I show tray 10 as comprising, with a unitary grid structure removably disposed therein, a freezing device exemplifying ice blocks frozen therein. The grid structure within tray 10 includes spacedapart longitudinal partitioning walls composed of superimposed members 21 and 22 tiltably carrying thereon or movably interlocked therewith a plurality of spaced-apart transverse partitions or cross walls 23 normally inclined with respect to the vertical. A forked hand lever 24 included or incorporated in the grid structure is disposed intermediate the longitudinal partitions of the grid and provides means for causing relative tilting movement between walls of the grid. The upper member 21 of each longitudinal grid partition provides an actuating bar in the grid structure to be shifted, by lever 24, along the length of the lower longitudinal partition 22 for tilting cross walls '23 out of their normal inclined position toward the 'vertical. As far as my invention is concerned any suitable grid structure may be employed in the present freezing device and therefore only a brief description thereof is herein given. A unitary grid structure of the character referred to and its operation is now well known in this art and it may be of the construction more fully shown and described in detail in the patent issued in my name No. 2,642,726 on June 23, 1953. All walls of the grid structure terminate in a plane above or substantially at the top of ridges 17 in the bottom of tray 10 so as to removably rest thereon within the tray and form wall continuations of the ridges in dividing the interior of tray 10 into rows of compartments in which liquid placed in the tray freezes into separated ice blocks as depicted at 26 in FIGURES 2 and of the drawings. The spacing of cross walls 23 of the grid along longitudinal walls thereof is such that they are carried thereon intermediate the depressions 16 at points to register with the raised intersecting transverse ridges 17 in the bottom of tray while the longitudinal grid walls also register with the longtudinal ridges.

Assume that the freezing device has had water in tray 10 frozen into the separated ice blocks 26 in compartments thereof within a freezing chamber or zone of a household refrigerator cabinet and it is desired to now harvest the ice blocks for use. The freezing device is removed from the refrigerator and placed on a flat top work ledge or table. In my invention the curvilinear contour and particularly the differential radii wall surface of depressions 16 in the bottom of tray 10 serve conjointly with the shape of at least the lower portion of ice blocks 26 to minimize force required to initiate relative movement of walls of the grid structure while positioned within the tray. Lever 24 is grasped by one hand of an operator while the operators other hand holds end 12 of the freezing device steady or stationary on the ledge or table. An upward force applied to lever 24 rotates same about its anchorage on the grid structure for directly camming or tilting the forwardmost grid cross wall 23, at the end 11 of tray 16, toward the vertical. The initial tilting of cross grid wall 23 at end 11 of tray 10 wedges the three endmost ice blocks 26 within their compartments against the tray end wall. This wedging action of the three end ice blocks causes them to react against the curvilinear surface of the end depressions 16 whereby to start the bloclos in a clockwise rotary movement as viewed in FIGURE 5 with the curved lower portion of the blocks bearing on the smaller radius surface C of the depressions to relieve their greater curved lower portion from the larger or increased radius surface A of the depressions. Rotation of this smaller radius portion of the ice blocks into or against the increased radius portion of the depressions lessens the force necessary in the wedging action of the end blocks, and consequently force required to be applied to lever 24 for effecting initial movement of the endnrost cross grid wall is minimized. Simultaneously with this initial movement of the endrnost ice blocks, the entire grid structure and ice blocks bonded to other portions thereof are elevated with respect to the tray and the bond between ice blocks and the tray walls is broken. As hereinbefore pointed out, the initial ice bond breaking operation just described is the most difficult task encountered in the act of harvesting ice blocks from a grid and tray type freezing device and my invention reduces the force necessary to carry out same. This is due to providing a sliding or shifting of at least a portion of the ice blocks, under force applied to a wall of the grid, along a curvilinear surface whereby the ice is pealed or stripped therefrom instead of breaking ice blocks loose from a flat tray bottom in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto as has heretofore been common practice. Continued upward rotation of lever 24 and further tilting of the forwardmost grid cross wall 23 at end 11 of tray 10 then causes this wall to engage a part of the actuating bars 21 and shift these bars lengthwise along longitudinal partitions 22 for progressively tilting the rernainder of the grid cross walls toward the vertical one after another in succession (see FIGURE 5). During the continued rotation of lever 24 and tilting of the rernainder of the grid cross walls, ice blocks 26 in back of the forwardmost cross wall 23, at the end 11 of tray 10, are forced downwardly within their compartments against the surface of depressions 16 in the bottom of tray 10 and are caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction therealong. Here again the smaller radius lower portion of ice blocks 26 shifts along the small radius surface of depressions 16 and in so shifting relieves the larger radius lower portion of the ice blocks from contact with the increased radius surface of the depressions. Since the continuously rounded depressions 16 are provided by a fixed curve of differential radii in a direction along the length of tray 10 this feature contributes to the ease at which ice blocks are rocked in their compartments to free them from walls of the grid structure. The grid may be removed from tray 10 and loosened ice blocks therein after which the tray is inverted to empty the free sep- 'arated ice blocks into a serving bucket or the like. The structural features embodied in the present freezing device cooperate, for in addition to minimizing force required to initially move or tilt walls of the grid, to also insure complete loosening or freeing of ice blocks from the grid structure thereof.

It should, from the foregoing, be apparent that I have provided an improved manually actuated combination freezing device structure which overcomes an objection of long standing as hereinbefore stated relative to former such devices. By depressing portions of the bottom of the tray of my device to form upwardly directed ridges therein upon which a grid structure is supported and walls of which cooperate with the ridges to complete ice block compartments in the device, the height of a grid for disposition in a tray of the present device is reduced and consequently less material is needed in the construction thereof. The raised ridges and continuously rounded differential radii depressions in the bottom of the tray of my improved freezing device, in addition to providing a definite function in the device, also increase the structural strength or rigidity of the tray. Therefore the tray in my device does not become permanently warped, twisted or deformed after prolonged operations of removing or harvesting ice blocks from. the device as has heretofore occurred in the use of kindred devices.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other for-ms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) a tray for receiving a body of liquid to be frozen and a grid in said tray,

(b), the bottom of said tray having depressions therein providing raised ridges terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(c) said grid including a plurality of walls tiltable with respect to one another and located at points registering with the apex of said ridges in the tray bottom to divide the interior of said tray into compartments,

(d) said grid walls cooperating with said ridges to partition the body of liquid in said device as it freezes therein into individual ice blocks separated from each other throughout their height,

(e) means for causing relative tilting movement between walls of said grid while same is positioned in said tray to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid,

(7) said depressions in the bottom of said tray being continuously rounded at least in the direction therealong of tilting movement of said grid walls, and

(g) the curved lower surface of ice blocks in said co-mpartments coextensive with said rounded bottom thereof being rotatable thereagainst in substantially parallel relationship thereto when said grid walls are tilted for minimizing force required to tilt them during the act of freeing ice blocks from said device.

2. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) a tray for receiving a body of liquid to be frozen and a grid in said tray,

(b) the bottom of said tray having depressions formed therein of curvilinear contour in at least one direction thereacross,

(c) said depressions providing intersecting raised ridges in said tray bottom terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(d) said grid including a plurality of walls tiltable with respect to one another and located at points registering with the apex of said ridges in the tray bottom to divide the interior of said tray into compartments,

(2) said grid walls cooperating with said ridges to partition the body of liquid in said device as it freezes therein into individual ice blocks separated from each other throughout their height,

(f) means for causing relative tilting movement between walls of said grid while same is positioned in said tray to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid, and

(g) the shape of the lower surface of individual separated ice blocks frozen in said compartments serving conjointly with said curvilinear contour of the depressions in said tray bottom to minimize force required to initiate said relative grid wall tilting movement.

3. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) a tray for receiving a body of liquid to be frozen and a grid in said tray,

(17) the bottom of said tray having continuously rounded depressions therein providing intersecting raised ridges terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(c) said grid including a plurality of walls tiltable with respect to one another and located at points registering with the apex of said ridges in the tray bottom to divide the interior of said tray into compartments,

(d) said grid walls cooperating with said ridges to partition the body of liquid in said device as it freezes therein into individual ice blocks separated from each other throughout their height,

(e) means for causing relative tilting movement between walls of said grid while same is positioned in said tray to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid,

(f) said rounded depressions in the bottom of said tray being a fixed curve formed by radii each of different length at least in the direction therealong of tilting movement of said grid walls, and

(g) the rounded lower surface of individual separated ice blocks frozen in said compartments serving conjointly with said different radii curvature of the depressions in said tray bottom to minimize force required to initiate said relative grid wall tilting movement.

4. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) an elongated tray for receiving a body of liquid to be frozen and a grid structure in said tray,

(b) the bottom of said tray having continuously rounded depressions therein providing intersecting raised ridges terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(c) said grid structure including a longitudinal wall and a plurality of spaced apart cross walls tiltably carried thereon.

(d) said longitudinal and said cross walls of the grid structure being located at points registering with the apex of said ridges in the tray bottom to divide the interior of said tray into rows of compartments,

(e) said grid walls cooperating with said ridges to partition the body of liquid in said device as it freezes therein into individual ice blocks separated from each other throughout their height,

(f) means for causing tilting movement of the cross walls relative to the longitudinal wall of said grid structure lengthwise of said elongated tray while the structure is positioned therein to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid,

(g) said rounded depressions in the bottom of said tray being a fixed curve formed by radii one of which is of increased length over the other at least from the center of the depressions toward ends thereof in the direction of tilting movement of said grid cross walls, and

'(h) the rounded lower surface of ice blocks in said compartments coextensive with said different radii curvature of the depressions in said tray bottom being rotatable thereagainst in substantially parallel relationship thereto when said grid cross walls are tilted for minimizing force required to tilt them during the act of freeing ice blocks from said device.

5. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) a tray adapted to contain water to be frozen and a grid within said tray,

(b) the bottom of said tray having spaced apart depressions therein providing raised ridges terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(c) said grid including a plurality of Walls tiltable with respect to one another and located in juxtaposed relationship to the apex of said ridges in the bottom of said tray for dividing the interior thereof into compartments in which the water is frozen into ice blocks,

(d) means for causing relative tilting movement between walls of said grid while same is positioned in said tray to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid,

(e) said depressions in said tray bottom being continuously rounded from end to end thereof at least in the direction therealong of tilting movement of said grid walls, and

(f) the lower surface of said ice blocks rotating along the rounded depressions during loosening thereof for minimizing force required to initiate tilting of said grid walls.

6. A freezing device comprising in combination:

(a) a metal tray adapted to receive a body of water to be frozen and a grid in said tray,

(b) the bottom of said tray being provided with embossed portions forming raised ridges terminating a predetermined distance below a top bounding rim thereon,

(c) said grid including a plurality of Walls tiltable with respect to one another and located at points registering with the apex of said ridges in the tray bottom for dividing the interior of said tray into compartments,

(d) said grid walls and said ridges partitioning the body of water as it freezes within said device into individual ice blocks separated from each other throughout their height,

(e) means for tilting the walls of said grid While same is disposed in said tray to mechanically loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid,

(1) said embossed portions in said tray being continuously rounded intermediate the apex of said ridges at least in the direction of tilting movement of said grid walls,

(g) said embossed portions inside the metal tray being provided with a multitude of spaced-apart reoccurrring macroscopic depressions therein imparting a patterned surface thereto coated with a coextensive layer of nonporous nonmetallic water repellent material,

(It) said rounded compartment bottoms causing the lower part of ice blocks in the compartments to rotate therealong when said blocks are initially moved by Walls of said grid, and

(i) said layer of water repellent material on said tray cooperating with the rounded compartment bottoms thereof for minimizing force required to initiate tilting of said grid walls in the act of freeing ice blocks from said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,679,292 Carrey July 31, 1928 1,868,070 Newman July 19, 1932 1,889,481 Kennedy Nov. 29, 1932 2,163,705 Saler June 27, 1939 2,259,219 Strickland Oct. 14, 1941 2,642,727 Frei June 23, 1953 2,704,927 Carrell Mar. 29, 1955 1 2,779,166 Sampson Jan. 29, 1957 

5. A FREEZING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A TRAY ADAPTED TO CONTAIN WATER TO BE FROZEN AND A GRID WITHIN SAID TRAY, (B) THE BOTTOM OF SAID TRAY HAVING SPACED APART DEPRESSIONS THEREIN PROVIDING RAISED RIDGES TERMINATING A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW A TOP BOUNDING RIM THEREON, (C) SAID GRID INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF WALLS TILTABLE WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER AND LOCATED IN JUXTAPOSED RELATIONSHIP TO THE APEX OF SAID RIDGES IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID TRAY FOR DIVIDING THE INTERIOR THEREOF INTO COMPARTMENTS IN WHICH THE WATER IS FROZEN INTO ICE BLOCKS, (D) MEANS FOR CAUSING RELATIVE TILTING MOVEMENT BETWEEN WALLS OF SAID GRID WHILE SAME IS POSITIONED IN SAID TRAY TO MECHANICALLY LOOSEN ICE BLOCKS FROM THE TRAY AND GRID, (E) SAID DEPRESSIONS IN SAID TRAY BOTTOM BEING CONTINUOUSLY ROUNDED FROM END TO END THEREOF AT LEAST IN THE DIRECTION THEREALONG OF TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID GRID WALLS, AND (F) THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID ICE BLOCKS ROTATING ALONG THE ROUNDED DEPRESSIONS DURING LOOSENING THEREOF FOR MINIMIZING FORCE REQUIRED TO INITIATE TILTING OF SAID GRID WALLS. 